


Caramel Hazelnut

by rebeccaann08 (halesmoon)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-26
Updated: 2012-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-30 03:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/327223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halesmoon/pseuds/rebeccaann08
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin might have to forgive Arthur for interfering with his love life just this one time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caramel Hazelnut

**Author's Note:**

  * For [winterstorrm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterstorrm/gifts).



> Written for winterstorrm, who prompted the pairing and an oblivious Merlin. Not sure if I really did that, but...it might be close? Many thanks to sheswatching for the quick beta!

“Face it, you have a _type_ ,” Arthur said – shouted, really – over the blaring hip hop music the bar preferred to play for any patrons still present after ten.

Merlin crinkled his nose. “I do not,” he shouted back.

“Yeah, you do. Big and muscular, but likes kittens,” Arthur shot back.

Merlin choked on his drink – some cheap beer he could barely afford because he _still_ hadn’t paid his heating bill – and glared daggers in Arthur’s direction. “Shut up, Arthur.”

“I can ask him for you,” Arthur said. He pushed aside his own drink – a tequila sunrise he refused to touch because he hadn’t realized the damn thing would be _pink_ – and stood. It was easy to avoid Merlin’s flailing arms when he tried to stop Arthur from making his way to the bar.

“Percival, my man,” Arthur said, leaning against the counter and slapping Percival on the back. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Merlin burying his head in his arms. He had to bite back a laugh. “I have a question for you.”

“Yeah?” Percival turned so he was facing Arthur fully. Arthur had always preferred women to men, leaning more towards dainty and blonde, but even he had to admit Percival was an attractive man. His sweater couldn’t hide the broad expanse of his chest, and his dark jeans only accentuated his narrow hips and the thick muscles in his thighs.

He could see why Merlin had spent the last thirty minutes drooling.

“If I told you I had a friend who was interested in getting to know you more, what would you say?” Arthur asked.

Percival raised his eyebrow. “Do I know this friend?”

Arthur nodded in Merlin’s direction, and Percival followed his gaze. Arthur was pleased to see a small smile cross his lips.

Finally, after a long moment, he turned back to Arthur. “I’d say you should introduce us.”

“Perfect,” Arthur said, grinning. “Follow me.”

Merlin glared at Arthur when they approached the table.

“Merlin, meet my friend Percival. Percival, meet Merlin. He’s been ogling you every time you’ve been here for _weeks_ now.”

Merlin squeaked and went bright red, but Percival only laughed. “Have you now?”

“What? No,” Merlin said. “No, Arthur just– Yeah, no.” He took a large swallow of his beer and repeated, “No.”

Percival sat down in the booth next to Merlin. “Well, nice to meet you regardless.”

Arthur grabbed what was left of Merlin’s drink and stood. “Have a nice night,” he said.

Percival nodded and waved. Merlin watched him go, looking hopeless.

***

Merlin wanted to have a proper conversation with Percival. Really, he did. But he couldn’t focus on the words. All he saw were those too full lips moving, and he felt overly warm when Percival laid a large hand on his forearm, fingers skimming softly against his skin.

“Really?” Merlin said, clearing his throat. “That’s, ah…interesting.”

Percival cocked his head, then smiled. “I don’t think you’re actually paying attention to what I’m saying.”

Merlin shook his head. “No! Really, I am, I just…well, that is…”

Percival burst out laughing, and Merlin flushed hotly.

“I’m sorry,” he said miserably, looking into what was left of his beer. Maybe he’d had too much to drink. He should have known better. Arthur always said he couldn’t hold his drink, and now he’d just fucked things up with Percival.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Percival said. He leaned forward and grinned, mischievously. “Want to get out of here?”

“Er…” Merlin flushed even more. He’d seen Arthur use that on the pretty girls at the bar. He knew what it led to and while his cock twitched in his pants, definitely showing interest, he didn’t want one of Arthur’s one night stands. Not with Percival

Percival must have sensed his hesitation. “Don’t worry. Maybe coffee? Clear our heads a little bit?”

“Right. Okay, sounds good, yeah?” Merlin said. He swallowed the last of his beer. “Coffee.”

Merlin followed Percival out the door, wrapping his scarf tightly around his neck.

“It’s snowing,” he said when he stepped outside. He blinked when a snowflake landed on his eyelash.

“Ah, winter. It’s begun,” Percival said. “Come on, I know a nice little place I think you might like.”

“Alright.”

They walked down the street, close enough their arms pressed together slightly. Merlin decided if anyone asked, he’d say they were cold.

***

Arthur watched Merlin and Percival leave the bar, both trying not to be too obvious about the interest each showed in the other. He let himself be happy for his friends for a moment, then turned back to the pretty thing he’d been flirting with. Elena, she said her name was…

***

“Oh, this is nice!” Merlin said when they stepped into the café. “Really nice.”

“Smith’s Café,” Percival said. “My friend is the owner. He’s brilliant when it comes to coffee.”

Merlin looked around. The place really was lovely. The floors were hardwood and homely, with just enough scratches and scuffs to make everything look cozy. Jars of coffee beans lined the walls, and Merlin moved to stand in front to get a better look.

“Coffee lover?” Percival asked.

“Mm, very much so. Used to want to own a café,” he said. A flavoured coffee caught his eye. _Caramel Hazelnut_ , it read. He unscrewed the lid and inhaled, sighing in pleasure.

He held the jar out to Percival. “Smell this,” he said.

Percival leaned forward. “Smells sweet,” he said.

“Yeah. It’s a lighter roast, so the coffee taste won’t be as strong, but you’ll get a bit more caffeine,” Merlin said, putting the jar back and moving down the shelves to read some more labels.

“I didn’t know that.”

Merlin shrugged. “I worked in a café for a few months during uni.”

“And how do you take your coffee?” Percival asked, smiling.

Merlin grinned. “Black,” he said. “It’s the only way to properly taste the flavour.”

“Percival, what are you doing here?”

Merlin and Percival both turned to face the newcomer. A short, dark man stood behind the counter, grinning widely.

“Elyan, hullo,” Percival said. He threw his arm around Merlin’s shoulder and pulled him close. Merlin tried desperately not to blush madly. “This is Merlin. We want coffee.”

Elyan snorted. “Don’t let him boss you around, Merlin. He’s a pushover, he just doesn’t want to you to know it yet.”

Merlin grinned, and Percival chuckled. He didn’t remove his arm from around Merlin’s shoulders, and Merlin decided to go with it, leaning further into Percival.

“What kind of coffee would you like?”

“Something sweet. And black,” Percival said, squeezing Merlin’s shoulders a bit.

“Same for you?” Elyan asked Merlin.

“Sounds perfect,” Merlin said.

They sat at a table in the corner, where they were half covered with shadows.

“So,” Percival said, breaking the silence that had settled over them, “tell me about yourself.”

Merlin smiled. “Anything in particular?”

“Why did you want to own a café?”

Merlin considered for a moment, then said, “I like it.”

“You like it? That’s a little…vague,” Percival teased.

“Yeah. It’s weird. My mum always used to call me artsy because I’d draw on anything that didn’t move and I’d run around the house singing at the top of my lungs.” He blushed when Percival laughed. “But there’s just something about cafés. An atmosphere, I guess. It sounds weird, but I feel like I belong, you know?”

Percival smiled. “Not really, but it’s ok.”

“I just thought it would be nice. People tell you stories, and you have…I don’t know, relationships, I guess, with the customers. It’s not just about business. They come to your café because they like you, and you know them well enough to know exactly what they like, and your coffee makes them happy. And then I thought, maybe I’d get a little flat and live above it.” He stopped and blushed again, thankful for the dim lighting.

Clearing his throat, he said, “What about you?”

“Coffees, good sirs,” Elyan said, interrupting. He placed a cup of steaming coffee in front of each of them. “Cinnamon vanilla. Enjoy.”

Merlin breathed in the aroma of the coffee. “I will,” he said.

“Thanks, Elyan,” said Percival.

“No problem,” Elyan said, then went back to the counter.

Percival blew lightly on his coffee. “I like animals,” he said.

Merlin, who’d been preoccupied with his own coffee, looked up. “Pardon?”

“I’ve always been in sports, but I like animals. I’d like to be a veterinarian, maybe.”

If Merlin squinted hard, he was fairly certain he could see Percival blushing. He leaned back in his chair. “Big and strong, but likes kittens,” he murmured.

“Pardon?”

“Nothing,” he said. “It kind of suits you, though.”

“You think? I’m sure I’d be teased horribly by my footie mates if I said anything. And I’d have to go back to school to do it, but when I think about what I’d like to do in my ideal life, that’s what I’ve always thought of,” Percival said.

They sat in silence for a bit, each preoccupied with their coffee. Merlin pondered Percival’s words, and suddenly wished he’d approached Percival much earlier rather than waiting around for Percival to notice him.

He snickered, a bit. When Percival looked up, questioningly, he shook his head. “Just thinking how I’ll actually have to _thank_ Arthur for this. It’s going to be miserable and he’s going to have a big head.”

Percival grinned. “Indeed. Say, were you really ogling me for weeks?”

Merlin choked, and Percival laughed while he pounded Merlin on the back.

“I can’t believe he said that,” Merlin said, groaning and burying his face in his hands.

“Why? It’s Arthur,” Percival said.

Merlin snorted. “Isn’t that the truth,” he said, wryly. “Listen, I’m so sorry he pushed me onto you. He can be a prat sometimes, and normally, I would have just told him to shut it, but it’s actually really true that I can’t hold my liquor, and I–”

“Merlin,” Percival said, interrupting his rambling. “It’s okay.”

“Well, that’s nice of you. But I still feel bad that you had to leave when you were having fun to get me coffee, and…” he trailed off because Percival was _staring_ at him. “What?”

“I…It might not be untrue to say I’d been going to that bar to ogle you, too,” Percival said, quickly.

Merlin looked at him, stunned. “You’re…serious?”

Percival nodded. “You were always with Arthur, and I thought you two were something, so I–”

“Ew, no. Not with Arthur,” Merlin said. “I mean, he’s great, but he’s a bit of a manwhore if you didn’t know.”

Percival burst out laughing. “Yeah,” he said, when his laughter had subsided. “He is, isn’t he?”

They sat there a few moments longer, content in the silence as they finished their coffee. Merlin tipped Elyan generously.

When they were once again outside, Percival asked, “Can I walk you home?”

“Depends. Where do you live?”

Percival pointed down the street. “About six blocks that way.”

“Ah, well. I’m afraid you live in the opposite direction of me then,” Merlin said.

Percival grinned. “Is that a no?”

Merlin nodded. “I’m afraid so. I mean, for all I know, you could be a crazy serial killer.”

They both laughed, and then Percival ducked down and pressed his lips, gently, over Merlin’s is a chaste kiss. “Can I take you on a proper date then? Prove myself to you?”

“Like a true gentleman?”

“Ay, like a knight,” Percival said. “I shall court you.”

Merlin smiled, then kissed Percival again. It wasn’t a deep kiss, but it lingered, and Merlin’s lips felt like they were on fire after.

“I think I’d like that. A knight of my own sounds marvelous.”

“Then, I can call you, right?” Percival asked.

“Can I see your mobile?” Percival handed it over. “This is my number. I’ll be expecting a call, and I’ll send Arthur after you if I don’t get one.”

“I like my damsels with a little bit of spunk,” Percival said.

Merlin snorted. “Off with you. Begone.”

Percival saluted him, then turned to leave. Merlin hadn’t made it to the next block when his own mobile rang.

“Hullo?”

“Friday, 5:00, dinner?” Percival said.

Merlin grinned. “Pick me up?”

“Absolutely.”

***

The next morning, Arthur showed up at his door. They had plans to go ice-skating, because Arthur wanted to see Merlin falling all over himself.

“I saw Percival today,” Arthur said.

“Oh,” Merlin said.

“He wanted me to give you this.” Arthur tossed over a small package wrapped in brown parchment paper. Inside was a half kilo of coffee beans.

Merlin grinned and opened it, curious to know the flavor. He was surprised when he recognized it.

_Caramel Hazelnut._


End file.
